Gauging attachmewt fob hair clippers



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,649,999

W. 0. YANCEY ET AL GAUGING ATTACHMENT FOR HAIR CLIPPERS Filed NOV. 26,1926 i v I 1 invade/Q57 7 Gun, O

,2/tfie65= Patented Nov, 2'2, 1927.

UNITED. STATE-s,

.AT'ENT, oFFicE.

WILLIAM:OQYANGEYIANDMVIRGIL YANCEY, oroi-rroaeo, rumors.

GAUGING ATT CHMENT ron Barn oLIrrERs Application filedNovember 26, 1926. Seri1No. 150,745.

, This invention relates to improvementsin gauging attachments for hairclippers, and more particularly to a'device to be used in conjunctionwith hair clippers as an aid in 5 cutting hair to the desired length andwith uniform graduation over various parts of the head; l

i I .The object of the' invention is to provide a means whereby theuseof clippers may be extended to euthairover those portions of the headwhich'ordinarily require the use of scissorsdue to. the inability of theoperator,to guide the clippers at the proper distance from ,the scalp.except where the hair 7 is to be. closely cropped or cut veryfishort.

Moreover, it is difiicult even. for the expert operator to obtainuniform graduation in the length of the hair to be cut or trimmed, andespecially to avoid the visible line-which '20 marks the divisionbetween that portion of the scalp which has been clipped and thatportion 1 which has been trimmed with scissors, I

A preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanyingdrawings,

inwhich' J- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hair clipper with thegauging attachment applied'thereto.

Figure 2 isa perspective view of the gauging attachmentremoved from theclippers. Figure 3 is a view in cross-section taken on line 33 of Figure2. .7 c Figure 4 is' an enlarged detail view in 86 section taken on lineL4-of Figure 3.

. Figure isa viewin sideelevation showing the relative position of thebottom plate of the clipperand the/gauge bar. T I Figure 6 is a Viewsimilar to Figure ,5 40 showing the gauge bar in depressedposition.

For the purpose of illustration, the attachment is applied to a powerorelectrically operated hair clipper A, although it maybe used equallywell with a hand clipper, the cutting action of both being substantiallythe same, In general, hair clippers whether hand OY'POWGI operated,comprise a. pair of fixed and movable cutting plates 1 and 2 havingcomplementary rows of cutting .teeth along their} forward edges. Thefixed plate 1 is on thebottomand slides incontact with the scalp, as themovable plate 2 travels crosswise of the fixed plate 'narily attempted.v

with a reciprocating.movement, cutting the hair asitiis fed between theteeth in the forward movementof the clippers.

As fthus constructed, hair clippers are result can only be used onrelatively small parts of the scalp, leaving the major portion of thecutting to be done with sclssors.

It is possible to adaptclippers to the cutting or trimming of longerlengths of hair,

clippers and advancing the two together to space the clippers from thescalp. This expedient, however, requires considerable skill on the partof the operator, in orderto obtain satisfactory results and therefore isnot ordi In the present device, a portion which functions as acomb isattached directly to the bottom plate of the clipper and remains in afixed plane. Located behind the comb is an adjustable bar which isshiftable to-' ward and from the bottom of the clipper so teeth and'thesurface of the scalp.

by placing a comb orrthe finger under the Referring now to' theconstruction of the attachment, it consists of a relatively thin metalplate 3 which bearsfiatwise against the bottom surface of the fixedplate 1 of the clipper, and is provided along its forward edge with arow of teeth 4 forming a section of acomh offset ataslight: angle A tothe plate 3 to extend parallel to the plane of the beveled edge 1 alongthe forward edge of the bottom plate 11 (Figure 3).

The plate 3- covers only the. forward portion of the bottom plate; andis removably attached thereto by a spring: clip 5-riveted tothecombplate 3 and having hooked ends 5; 5

which engage the side edges of the bottom plate l of the clipper. Beyondthe comb teeth and at each end ofthe plate 3, are for 'wardly extendingprongs 6, 6 considerably .arefitted to hold the attachment in place andthe comb teeth iii-proper position with respect to the cutting teeth.Alongthe sides voi thev comb plate are upstanding walls 8, 8

80 as to gauge distance. .betweenithe, cutting I fixed cutting teeth ofthe bottom plate 1, 7

that is, with the same spacing between them so that each comb toothregisters exactly with one of thefixed cutting teeth. Moreover, the combteeth are preferably triangu lar in cross-section having relatively flatfaces on their under sides and tapering to a beveledor substantial knifeedge which face toward the beveled edges of the corresponding fixedcutting teeth of the bottom plate of the clippers. The comb teeth,moreover, are tapered from base to tip and are of greater length thanthe cutting teeth so that they project a quarter of an inch or morebeyond the cutting teeth with the base of the comb section disposed backof the base line of the cutting teeth. This formation of the comb teeth,their spacing and registration with the cutting-teeth, tends to promotea' more uniform and smooth cutting action, as it properly divides thehair into small quantities and guides it between the cutting teeth asthe clipper is advanced.

Immediately below the plate 3 is an adjustable gauge bar 9 extendingtransversely of the plate and rearwardly of the comb teeth 4. This baris mounted for movement toward and from the plate 3, the following meansbeing used for supporting and adjusting the bar to various positions. Atthe ends of the bar are arms 10, 10 extending forwardly exterior of theside plates 8, 8, the ends of the arms being pivotally connected to saidplates as at 10*. At one side of the device is an adjusting memberconsisting of a screw 12 pivotally connected at its lower end with theadjacent arm by means of a pin and slot connection as at 13. The screw12 extends at right angles to the arm and upwardly into a casing 14. theinner wall of whichis adjacent side wall 8, there being a correspondingwall l5 spaced from said side wall within a marginal flange 15 toenclose the top and sides of the casing thus formed. Carried by thescrew 12 is a thumb wheel 16, having its periphery projecting throughslots 17 formed in the opposite side walls 8 and 15 of the casing 14.Thus by turning the Wheel in either direction, the screw is movedendwise to elevate or depress the gauge bar to obtain the desired spacebetween the bar and the bottom surface of the plate.

The gauge bar 9 is preferablyfiat on its underside and has a width offromvonefourth to three-eighths of an inch, thus affording sufficientbearing surface to enable the operator to guide the clippers over thescalp Without varying the inclination of the comb and cutting teeth toany appreciable extent. By preference, the gauge bar is arranged so thatin fully depressed position (Figure 6) it lies against the plate 8, andflush with the under face of the comb section 4.

As already suggested, the purpose of the gauging attachment is to enablethe operator to regulate and thus control the length to which the hairis to be out throughout different portions of the head. For example,When cutting amans hair. it is customaryto clip the hair rather close tothe scalp at the back and sides of the neck, and over the ears,gradually increasing the length toward the top or crown of the head.

In the absence of'the attachment, the operator finds it difficult tomanipulate the clippers so as to obtain uniform and satisfactoryresults, without afterwards going over the clipped areas with scissors,this being particularly true where the portions of the head out with theclippers merge with the portion which is merely trimmed with scissors.With the gauging attachment applied to the clippers, the operator canreadily adjust the gauge bar to obtain the proper spacing of the cuttingteeth from the scalp and thus obtain the desired length of hair.Manifestly, the proper manipulation of the clippers with the gaugingattachment requires the exercise of some degree of skill on the part ofthe operator, although once familiar with its operation. is enabled tocut hair with greater ease, neatness and despatch than is otherwisepossible.

- Having set forth a preferred embodiment of our invention, we claim:

1. A gauging attachment for hair clippers comprising a comb-plateadapted to be secured to the bottom plate of said clippers and providedat its forward edge with a row ofcomb teeth registering with the fixedcutting teeth of said clippers and projecting beyond the ends of thesame, a gauge bar extending transversely of said bottom plate rearwardlyof said comb teeth and having pivotalconnection with said plate forswinging movement toward and from the plane of said comb teeth,'andmeans for shifting and holding said bar in various positions ofadjustment.

2. A gauging attachment for hair clippers comprising a relativelyfine'comb adapted to be attached to the bottom of said clippers, withits teeth arranged to register with the fixed cutting teeth thereof, a.gauge bar pers, comprising a comb plate adapted to be secured to thebottom plate of said clippers and having a plurality of comb teetharranged to have the spaces therebetween register with the spacesbetween the fixed cutting bottom plate beyond said cutting teeth, and

an adjustable'gaug'e bar having arms pivotally connected to said combplate, and

means for adjusting said bar.

4. A gauging attachment for hair clippers comprising a comb plate havingside walls embracing the bottom plate of said clippers and comb teeth atits forward edge adapted to'register with, the fixed cutting teeth ofsaid bottom plate, there being portions of said plate between said combteeth and said side walls bent in hook form to engage the endmostcutting teeth of said bottom plate,

a gauge bar spaced rearwardly of said comb teeth and havingarmspivotally connected with said side walls adjacent the forward 20 endsthereofl'a screw connected with said gauge bar, and means for adjustingsaid screw to shlft said bar toward and from sa d a comb plate.

1926. WILLIAM o. YANCEY.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 22d day 25 of Noyember,

VIRGIL L. YANCEYQ I

